Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Ahmadinejad in 2019
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Born	Mahmoud Sabbaghian 28 10, 1956
Birthplace	Aradan, Imperial State of Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Occupation	Politician, engineer, academic
Known for	6th President of Iran (2005–2013), Mayor of Tehran (2003–2005)
Children	3

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Template:Lang-fa; né Sabbaghian; born 28 October 1956) is an Iranian politician and engineer who served as the sixth President of Iran from 2005 to 2013. Born into a modest family in the small town of Aradan, he rose through the ranks of Iranian politics from provincial governor to mayor of Tehran before winning a decisive presidential runoff election in 2005 with approximately 62 percent of the vote. His presidency was marked by a staunchly conservative domestic agenda, vocal support for Iran's nuclear program, and rhetoric that drew sharp international criticism, particularly from Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Domestically, his economic policies generated significant debate, and his contested reelection in 2009 triggered widespread protests across Iran. An engineer and former university lecturer by training, Ahmadinejad was ideologically shaped by thinkers including Navvab Safavi, Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, and Ahmad Fardid. He is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, having been appointed to the body by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei following the conclusion of his presidency in August 2013. In September 2023, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Ahmadinejad for having provided material support to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security. He has remained a figure of political interest in Iran, with reports in 2025 suggesting he may seek to contest the 2028 Iranian presidential elections.

Early Life

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was born Mahmoud Sabbaghian on 28 October 1956 in Aradan, a small town in Semnan Province, in what was then the Imperial State of Iran. He came from a poor background; his family later moved to Tehran when he was a child, where his father worked to support the household. The family name was changed from Sabbaghian to Ahmadinejad at some point during his youth.

Ahmadinejad's intellectual and ideological formation was influenced by several prominent Iranian thinkers. Among them were Navvab Safavi, the founder of the Fada'iyan-e Islam organization; Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, a writer and social critic known for his concept of "Westoxification" (Gharbzadegi); and Ahmad Fardid, a philosopher who articulated critiques of Western modernity from an Islamic-Iranian perspective. These influences shaped Ahmadinejad's later political positions, which combined elements of Islamic conservatism with Iranian nationalism and populism.

Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Ahmadinejad became politically active and joined the Office for Strengthening Unity (Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat), a student organization that played a significant role in post-revolutionary Iranian politics. The organization was originally formed to consolidate the revolutionary movement on university campuses and served as a political launching pad for a generation of Iranian politicians and activists.

Education

Ahmadinejad pursued his higher education in civil engineering. He studied at the Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran, where he eventually earned a doctorate in transportation engineering and planning. His academic career also included periods of teaching at the university level, and he returned to academia during periods when he was not holding political office, notably after being removed from his position as provincial governor in 1997 following the election of reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

Career

Early Political Career and Provincial Governance

Ahmadinejad's political career began in earnest in the years following the Iranian Revolution. After involvement in student politics and the Office for Strengthening Unity, he entered the administrative apparatus of the Islamic Republic. In 1993, he was appointed as the first Governor-General of the newly created Ardabil Province, serving under President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He held this position from 28 November 1993 until 29 October 1997. As the inaugural governor of the province, Ahmadinejad was responsible for establishing the administrative infrastructure of the newly delineated region.

His tenure as governor ended when President Mohammad Khatami, a reformist, won the 1997 presidential election. Khatami replaced all existing provincial governors, including Ahmadinejad, as part of his effort to reshape the country's administration. Ahmadinejad subsequently returned to academic life and teaching at the university level.

Mayor of Tehran (2003–2005)

In 2003, following municipal council elections that brought conservative members to power on the Tehran City Council, Ahmadinejad was elected as the 42nd Mayor of Tehran on 20 May 2003. His tenure as mayor was characterized by a reversal of many of the reforms implemented by his moderate predecessors. He adopted a religiously conservative approach to city governance, implementing policies that reflected his principlist ideology.

Ahmadinejad's term as mayor attracted attention both domestically and internationally. He was included among the finalists for the World Mayor award in 2005, reflecting the profile he had built during his relatively brief tenure in municipal leadership. He served as mayor until 28 June 2005, when he departed to assume the presidency.

2005 Presidential Election

Ahmadinejad entered the 2005 presidential race with the support of the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (Etelaf-e Abadgaran-e Iran-e Eslami), a coalition of conservative political groups. Despite being considered an outsider at the beginning of the race, he advanced to the second round of voting and won the runoff election with approximately 62 percent of the vote. He became president on 3 August 2005, succeeding the reformist Mohammad Khatami.

His campaign emphasized populist economic themes, promising to bring the country's oil wealth to the tables of ordinary Iranians, and stressed cultural conservatism and Islamic values. The election represented a significant shift in Iranian politics, as it marked the ascendancy of a new generation of conservatives who were distinct from the traditional clerical establishment.

First Presidential Term (2005–2009)

Ahmadinejad's first term as president was marked by several major domestic and international developments. Domestically, he pursued economic policies that drew criticism from various quarters, including both reformists and some fellow conservatives. His administration focused on redistributing oil revenues and implementing programs aimed at the poor and rural populations.

On the international stage, Ahmadinejad became one of the most prominent and controversial political figures of the period. He was a vocal supporter of Iran's nuclear program, a position that placed Iran in increasing tension with Western nations, particularly the United States and European powers. The nuclear program remained a central issue throughout his presidency, with ongoing negotiations and sanctions shaping Iran's international relations.

Ahmadinejad's rhetoric regarding Israel was a consistent source of international controversy. His statements were condemned by numerous governments and international organizations, contributing to Iran's diplomatic isolation on certain issues. He also expressed hostility toward Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and other Western and Arab states during various public appearances and speeches.

In 2007, Ahmadinejad introduced a gasoline rationing plan designed to reduce Iran's fuel consumption. The policy was significant given Iran's status as a major oil-producing nation that nonetheless imported refined petroleum products. The rationing plan provoked public discontent in some quarters but was presented by the government as a necessary economic measure. During the same period, he moved to cut the interest rates that private and public banking facilities could charge, a policy that was controversial among economists and the financial sector.

Ahmadinejad was criticized by human rights organizations in North America and Europe for what they described as disregard for human rights during his presidency. These criticisms encompassed restrictions on press freedom, treatment of political dissidents, and the rights of women and minorities.

2009 Presidential Election and Aftermath

Ahmadinejad's bid for a second term culminated in the June 2009 presidential election, which became one of the most contentious events in the history of the Islamic Republic. The official results declared Ahmadinejad the winner, but the outcome was disputed by his opponents, most notably reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, and led to massive street protests in Tehran and other cities in what became known as the Iranian Green Movement.

The protests, which represented the largest public demonstrations in Iran since the 1979 revolution, were met with a forceful government response. Western countries criticized the conduct of the election and the subsequent crackdown on protesters. The disputed election and its aftermath had lasting effects on Iranian politics, deepening the divide between reformists and conservatives and raising fundamental questions about the nature of democratic processes within the Islamic Republic's political system.

Second Presidential Term (2009–2013)

Ahmadinejad's second term was characterized by intensifying power struggles within the Iranian political establishment. He experienced conflicts with multiple centers of power, including reformers, traditionalist conservatives in Parliament, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and notably with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself.

A major point of contention was Ahmadinejad's dismissal of intelligence minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i in July 2009. Ahmadinejad briefly served as acting Minister of Intelligence himself from 25 July to 3 September 2009, before Heydar Moslehi was appointed to the position. This episode highlighted the growing tensions between the president and other power centers within the regime.

Ahmadinejad's support for his close adviser Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei became another source of friction with the conservative establishment and the Supreme Leader. Mashaei's views, which some characterized as nationalist rather than strictly Islamist, were regarded with suspicion by hardliners within the system.

In May 2011, Ahmadinejad briefly served as acting Minister of Petroleum from 16 May to 2 June 2011, following the departure of Masoud Mir-Kazemi, until Mohammad Aliabadi was appointed in an acting capacity.

On 14 March 2012, Ahmadinejad became the first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran to be summoned by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament) to answer questions regarding his presidency. This unprecedented parliamentary action underscored the depth of institutional opposition to aspects of his governance.

As the 2013 presidential election approached, Ahmadinejad was constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. He threw his support behind Mashaei's candidacy, but the Guardian Council disqualified Mashaei from running. Hassan Rouhani, a centrist cleric, ultimately won the 2013 election and succeeded Ahmadinejad on 3 August 2013.

Ahmadinejad also served as Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 30 August 2012 until the end of his presidency on 3 August 2013, a position that rotated to Iran as the host of the 2012 NAM summit.

Post-Presidency

Following the conclusion of his presidency, Ahmadinejad was appointed by Supreme Leader Khamenei as a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, the advisory body that mediates between Parliament and the Guardian Council. He has served on the council since 3 August 2013.

On 12 April 2017, Ahmadinejad announced his intention to run for a third term in the 2017 presidential election, despite reported objections from Supreme Leader Khamenei. The Guardian Council, which vets presidential candidates, rejected his nomination, preventing him from appearing on the ballot.

During the 2017–2018 Iranian protests, Ahmadinejad was reported to have made statements that were critical of elements within the ruling establishment, positioning himself as a voice of dissent within the conservative camp.

In September 2023, the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Ahmadinejad for having provided material support to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). The designation imposed sanctions on Ahmadinejad, restricting his access to the U.S. financial system and prohibiting U.S. persons from conducting transactions with him.

In June 2025, false reports circulated claiming that Ahmadinejad had been assassinated in Tehran. These reports were subsequently debunked, though separate reports from Iranian media outlets indicated that he may have survived an assassination attempt after his vehicle was reportedly sabotaged.

As of mid-2025, reports indicated that Ahmadinejad was considering contesting the next Iranian presidential election, expected in 2028. Political analysts noted that he appeared to be positioning himself as a reformist-populist figure, with some drawing comparisons to Boris Yeltsin's role in the late Soviet period. An investigative profile published by New Lines Magazine in August 2025 examined Ahmadinejad's activities and movements during his post-presidential period.

Personal Life

Ahmadinejad has three children. He has maintained a public image rooted in simplicity and modesty, consistent with his background and populist political persona. Throughout his political career, he frequently emphasized his origins from a poor family in Aradan, using his personal story as a point of connection with ordinary Iranians.

His political and personal relationships have also been subjects of public discussion, particularly his close association with Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, whom he appointed as a vice president and later supported as a presidential candidate. The relationship between Ahmadinejad and Mashaei was a source of political controversy, with critics within the conservative establishment viewing Mashaei's influence as problematic.

Recognition

Ahmadinejad's presidency and political career generated extensive international attention and commentary. He was included among the finalists for the World Mayor award in 2005 during his tenure as mayor of Tehran.

His appearances at the United Nations General Assembly drew significant media coverage, particularly his speeches that addressed Iran's nuclear program, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and critiques of Western foreign policy. These speeches were among the most discussed and debated addresses at the UN during the period of his presidency.

In September 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department's designation of Ahmadinejad under its sanctions program represented a significant action against a former head of state, reflecting the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran.

Legacy

Ahmadinejad's legacy in Iranian politics is complex and contested. His presidency represented a particular strand of Iranian conservatism that combined Islamic principalism with economic populism and assertive nationalism. He was the first non-cleric to serve as president of Iran since Abolhassan Banisadr in the early 1980s, and his rise to power reflected the growing political influence of the Revolutionary Guard generation — those who had come of age during the 1979 revolution and the Iran-Iraq War.

His economic policies, particularly his subsidy programs and cash transfers to lower-income Iranians, reshaped aspects of Iran's welfare state, though critics argued that his fiscal management contributed to inflation and economic instability. The gasoline rationing plan of 2007 and interest rate interventions represented direct state management of the economy that generated debate among economists and policymakers.

The 2009 election and its aftermath left a lasting mark on Iranian political culture. The Green Movement that emerged in response to the disputed results represented a significant moment of civic mobilization, and the government's response to the protests shaped the political environment for years to come.

Internationally, Ahmadinejad's presidency coincided with a period of heightened tension over Iran's nuclear program, escalating sanctions regimes, and diplomatic confrontation with Western nations. His rhetorical style and public statements made him one of the most internationally recognizable Iranian political figures since the revolution.

His post-presidential activities, including his attempt to run again in 2017 and reported interest in the 2028 election, suggest a continued desire to remain relevant in Iranian politics. His evolution from an establishment conservative to a figure at odds with the Supreme Leader has made him a unique and unpredictable actor in the Islamic Republic's political landscape.